Saturday, November 3, 2018

Gosh, it has been sooooo long!

I can't even remember the last thing I wrote...God forbid I go back and look it up.

I think it has been about a year since I posted, maybe? I took most of last summer off because I got bucked off (my own fault entirely!) and then it was such a smoky summer that riding would have been unhealthy. Then it got cold and well, you know.

So we got back at it in the spring and I went back to dressage lessons with Mari at Natalie Perry Dressage. We struggled with the canter for a while. Probably it was mostly me because I have a mental block when it comes to trot-canter transitions on a green horse (history of being bucked off of a 16.3 monster). We could easily do it at home on the little trails when we can go forward more in the open, but for some reason put me in an arena and I panic. It is probably the other way around for most people!

Anyway, I decided two things. 1) to sign up for a dressage show in October and 2) to put Pony in boot camp for a month and board her at the barn (that has a beautiful large indoor) in order for her to get some training rides and get through the canter block that's been looming over me.

It was such a great idea to put her in training for that month. Mari rode her and really worked on forward...GO PONY GO! And I took lessons and also schooled on my own in preparation for the show. I took her home a week before the show to do beauty parlor and just hack around and Mac was so happy to have her back!

And speaking of the show, it was great! Pony now loads up easily, is a good traveler, and unloads and just chills. She doesn't need any lunging or prep, just tack up and ride!

Our warm-up at the show wasn't great, I didn't think. Forward wasn't as good as it has been and I felt like I had to work harder than I wanted to. I kept the warm-up short and easy and figured I'd just do the best I could in front of the judge.

Our first class, Training 1, we won with a 69.something!



I was so proud of her! She marched in and did her job. I did feel like I was working too hard, but she was perfectly behaved and I was happy with what she gave me.

We had about an hour break before the next class so we went back to the trailer and she had some water and hay while we waited. The next warm-up I again kept it short and easy.

Our second class, Training 2, we won with a 70.something!



The judge liked her and was probably more generous than I would have been, but I'll take it!

It is now cold outside and I am procrastinating going to ride. I'm probably not going to ride today. Pony has a massage this afternoon and I need to catch up with cleaning the pasture since I had a houseguest last week and didn't do all my chores.

1 comment:

  1. You guys look fabulous! 6 sure looks good on her - she's really matured since the last video you posted. So glad to get an update! I think about you both often. Hugs! -Ceylon star

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